THE Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service is strengthening its social media presence as part of an ongoing drive to inform, educate and protect the Manx public.

Fire safety advice, news items, community events, and updates from certain live incidents will be available from today – Monday, December 10 – via Facebook.

The new page will complement the Fire Service’s website and Twitter feed as a means of communicating with Island residents.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Kevin Groom said: ‘The Fire and Rescue Service delivers a diverse range of services to the local community through its prevention, protection and response strategies. The introduction of a Facebook page will further enhance our communication links and I look forward to its future progression.’

Sub Officer Peter Killey of the Community Safety Team added: ‘The use of social media has increased significantly in recent years and we recognise the potential of these channels to help promote our many services. The Facebook page will give members of the public an insight into the work carried out by fire officers to ensure the Isle of Man remains a safe place to live and work. It will also be a valuable tool for the Community Safety Team in terms of highlighting relevant information and engaging with our stakeholders.’

Although the Facebook page will be updated on a frequent basis, it will not be monitored around the clock and people are reminded to dial 999 to report an emergency.

The Fire and Rescue Service is also co-ordinating its social media output, so that messages posted on its Twitter account – such as public safety guidance and details of live incidents where possible – will be displayed on the Facebook page.

David Quirk MHK, member of the Department of Home Affairs with responsibility for the Fire and Rescue Service, said: ‘The way people communicate is evolving and we need to utilise all the appropriate channels available to us in order to get our messages across effectively. Fire officers do an outstanding job, often in challenging circumstances, and the use of Facebook will support their efforts to maintain a high level of community safety. I would urge as many people as possible to visit the page to stay up to date with all the latest information.’